Balancer



l Jan. 16, 1934. R. A. NORLING BALANCER Filed March 16, 1951 2, Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEYS.

Jan.16,1934. l R A NORUNG y 1,943,453

BALANCER Filed March 16, 1951 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALANCER Reinhold A. Norling, Aurora, Ill., assignor to Independent Pneumatic Tool Co., Chicago, Ill... a corporation of Delaware Application March 16, 1931.

Claims.

This invention relates to counter-balances, particularly adapted for suspending portable power-driven tools, such as electric drills and the like from an overhead support, whereby such tools may be maintained in elevated positions above the places of work or drawn down to the work whenever desired.

,In my co-pending application, Serial No. 523,- 167, led March 16, 1931, I have shown a bal- 0. ancer in which two reels or drums are employed for handling the cable by which the tool or load is suspended froml the balancer, with a single coil spring associated with each reel for turn ing the same in a direction to wind the cable thereon. This construction lends itself to the production of a strong balancer with small diameter reels, as it is a disadvantage to have the reels too large in diameter. 'Ille larger the reels, the greater the inertia or dead weight produced in starting or stopping the Wheels when the tools or load are moved up or down.

In accordance with my present invention, I provide a balancer in which two reels are employed, and provide a plurality, preferably two, springs for each reel, so that the reels can make twice as many turns before the springs are wound up as if only one spring were used, and the tool or load for that reason can move twice as far up and down before the springs are wound Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an end view of a balancer constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with parts in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view of another form of my improved balancer; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4 4: of Fig. 3, to show a detail of construction.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates the shaft of the balancer, 2, 2 the reels mounted thereon, and 3 the support for the shaft.

The support 3 is in the form of a casing en closing or housing the upper half portions of the two reels as shown. The ends of the shaft 1 are supported in split bearings at the ends of the housing 3. The upper part or member 4 of each bearing is'cast integral with the housing 3. The lower part 5 of each bearing is secured to the upper part byscrews 6, 6, as shown. The shaft 1 is also supported at its center by a split bearing comprising an upper part 7 and a lower Serial No. 523,168

part 8. The upper part 7 is preferably formed integral with a depending web 9 within the casing 3 and located between the opposed ends ofv the reels 2 as shown in Fig. 2. The lower part 8 of the bearing is atl the upper end of the de pending member 10, which is provided at its lower end with an abutment 11 constituting a stop for the sheave 12 supported in the loop of the cable 13. Bearing parts 7, Srare secured together by screws 14, as shown. t' 65.,

The ends of the cable 13are secured to the respective reels 2, 2 at 13a, 13a, and thus provide a loop in the cable for the sheave 12. The latter is journaled in a bracket or frame 15, from which depends a swiveled hook 16, by means of which a tool or other load may be suspended from the cable in the use of the balancer.

Each reel has a cable carrying portion 17, which as shown in Fig. 2 is inclined or tapered to the axis of the reel as provided by the shaft 1. This makes the reel larger at one end than at the other, so that varying leverage will be exerted on the spring means for the reels to accord with the degree of winding or unwinding of the springs, to hold the tool or load suspended 80. from the cable at different distances from the reels in the use of the device. The reels are arranged on the shaft 1 in end-wise relation, with their smaller ends opposed, and on opposite sides of the bearing 7, 8 and its associated parts. Each reel has a hub portion 18 surrounding the shaft 1 as shown.

To turn the reels to wind the cable thereon, I provide each reel with a set of two springs 19, 20 arranged about the shaft 1 in side by side relation. The inner spring 19 of each set has its outer end connected by a pin or rivet 21 to the inner side of the associated reel and its inner end connected by a key 22 to a sleeve 23 which extends Ythrough the centers of the springs of the set about the shaft 1, as shown. The outer spring 20 of each set has its outer end secured kby a pin or rivet 24 to the inside of a peripheral annular flange 25 on a barrel 26 associated with the spring. The inner end of spring 20 is connected by a key 27 to the sleeve 23 which extends through the center of the spring. The sleeves 23 for the two sets of springs are rotatably mounted on the shaft 1, the latter being reduced to accommodate the sleeves and to provide hold- 105 ing shoulders therefor at the inner ends of the sleeves. The outer ends of the sleeves abut against the associated barrels 26, as shown.

Each barrel 26 has an outwardly extending hub portion 28 located'in a sleeve or collar 29 110 and iixed thereto by a key or pin 30. The collar is journaled in the bearing 4-5 at the associated end of the frame 3.

For adjusting the tension of the springs, I provide a pair of worms or screw threaded members 31, 31, one for each set of springs. The worms are journaled in the upper bearing bosses 4, 4 of the frame 3 and engage worm teeth 32 on the associated collars 30. With the springs of each set connectedat their inner ends through the sleeves 23, the tension of the springs will be adjusted on turning the worms. The latter cach have a tool receiving socket 33 for this purpose. rIhe springs of each set are or the flat coil type and are located within the associated reel or drum 1. Each reel has a flat annular internal surface providing a seat for the inner spring within the reel. The barrels 26 are arranged to close the outer ends of the reels and their flanges 25 extend into the same. The reels are recessed, as at 34, 34, to receive the :danges of the barrels.

Plates 35, 36 are arranged to cover the opposite sides of the inner spring 19 of each set. These plates bear against shoulders 37, 38 within the reels, said shoulders being at the opposite sides of the seats for the inner springs. The barrels 26 cover the outer sides of the outer springs. The covers at the sides of the springs, not only protect them, but also prevent sidewise buckling of the springs.

The ends of the cable 13 are secured to the reels, in any suitable manner. One method of connection is shown and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 523,164. The connections are made at the outer or larger ends of the reels. In advance of these connections, the reels have their cable carrying portions substantially parallel to the axis of the reels, so that straight portions are provided at the large ends of the reels to allow for a slight up and down movement of the tool suspended from the balancer, without any appreciable resistance offered by the springs, when the tool is down to the place of the work. rIhe advantage of this is that the tool, as when setting screws or nuts by power, may be raised and lowered Vthe slight distances required in going from one screw or nut to the other without any strain or eiiort placed on the operator by the springs of the reels.

The sheave or pulley 12 is fixed to its frame by a pin 39. This holds the sheaving from turning, and thusV connects the reels in a manner for their rotation in unison for proper raising and lowering of the load on the cable.

To connect the balancer to an overhead support, either movable or stationary, I provide an attaching hook 40 on the top side of the balancer and connected to the frame 3 by an upright stud 41, headed over to provide an axis member for the hook.

In the balancer shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the cable carrying portions 17a, 17a of the reels 2a, 2a are tapered or inclined to the extreme outer ends of the reels. Ihis eliminates the straight portions at the larger' ends of the reels as employed in Figs. 1 and 2, and provides for an increased range of movement or travel for the load on the cable. Made in this way, requires that each reel be provided with an outwardly extending tubular portion 42 at its larger end to accommodate the outer spring 43 of the two springs for winding the cable on the reel. The inner spring 44 of each set is located within the reel proper, as shown. Sleeves 45, 45 are provided for each set of springs and extend through the centers thereof with the inner ends of the springs secured by keys 46 to the associated sleeves. The outer ends of the springs are connected by pins 47, 47 to the respective reels, the inner springs to the reels proper, and the outer springs to the tubular extensions 42 thereof, as shown.

Sleeves 45 extend outward beyond the respective sets of springs and are there provided with enlarged portions 4S, 48, journaled in bearing bosses 49, 43, provided on the frame 50 at the ends of the reels. Worms 51. 51 are mounted in these bosses and are connected with teeth on the sleeves to turn them for adjusting the tension of the springs. The worms have tool receiving sockets, the same as in Figs. 1 and 2. The shaft 1a has a lubricant passage with which connects a greasing nipple, the same as in my zzo-pending application, Serial No. 523,167.

The frame 50 is the mid-member of the housing and has side covers 51, 51, secured to the mid-member by bolts 52, 52, as shown in Fig. 4. A suspension hook 53 is attached to the midmember 50 on the upper side thereof, as shown. Member 50 has an abutment 54 on its under side to stop the sheave 55 when raised too far. Cable 56 has its ends attached to reels 2a, 2a at their large ends and thus provide a loop below the reels for sheave 55, which is fixed against rotation in the loop by a pin (not shown) connecting the sheave to its frame 57, the same as before. f

The reels in both balancers are grooved to accommodate the cable wound thereon. The groove of each reel is spirally arranged on same so as to lead the cable along the inclined portion of the reel in the operation of the device.

The balancers shown and described are simple in construction and operation. Two springs for each reel give the reels twice as many turns be# fore the springs are wound up. The reels being relatively small in diameter reduce the effect of Vthe dead weight when the load is stopped and started, as well as making compact devices.

The details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, may be variously modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A counter-balance of the character described, comprising two reels adapted to have a cable wound thereon with a loop in the cable exterior of the reels, a shaft for said reels, said reelshaving their cable engaging portions tapered or inclined to said shaft, with the reels mounted on the shaft with their smaller ends opposed, a setV of springs for each reel and surrounding the shaft at the larger end of the reel and connected therewith for turning the reel to wind the cable thereon, and means independent of said shaft for adjusting the tension of the springs of the respective sets.

2. A counter-balance of the character described, comprising two reels adapted to have a cable wound thereon with a loop in the cable exterior of the reels, a shaft for the reels, said reels being larger in diameter at one end than at the other and arranged on the shaft with their smaller ends opposed, the portions of the reels between the smaller and larger ends thereof constituting the cable carrying portions of the reels, which portions are tapered or inclined for the greater extent thereof to the shaft on which the reels are mounted and with the portions at the larger ends of the reels substantially parallel to the shaft to allow for a slight up and down movement of the cable when suspending a load from such portions without appreciable resistance offered by the spring means for the reels, and spring means for turning the reels in a direction to wind the cable thereon.

3. A counter-balance of the character described, comprising two reels, a shaft on which the reels are mounted, said reels having their cable engaging portions inclined to the axis of the shaft and arranged on the shaft with their smaller ends opposed, said reels each having a tubular extension at its larger end, two coil springs for each reel both surrounding the shaft, with one spring located in the reel and connected thereto and the other spring located in the tubular extension and connected thereto, and means for adjusting the tension of the springs of each reel through the centers of the same.

4. A counter-balance of the character described, comprising two tapered reels arranged in end to end relation with their smaller ends opposed, a shaft on which the reels are mounted, a support for the shaft in the form of a casing constituting the housing for the upper half portions only of the reels and leaving their lower portions exposed, means at the opposite ends of the housing providing bearings for the shaft, a member arranged intermediate the ends of the housing and extending between the reels to support the shaft between the same, and an abutment below the reels carried by said member.

5. In a counter-balance of the character described, a reel adapted to have a cable wound thereon, and spring means for turning the reel to Wind the cable thereon, said reel having its cable carrying portion tapered or inclined to the axis of the reel in one part and substantially parallel to the reel axis in another part to allow for a slight up and down movement of the n cable when suspending a load vfrom the last mentioned part without appreciable resistance offered by the spring means of the reel.

' REINHOLD A. NORLING. 

